EU Leaders Still Not Unanimous on Banning Russian LNG Imports to Bloc

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - EU leaders have still not reached unanimity on sanctioning Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports to the European Union, although a legislative tool is being developed to help national governments restrict Russian LNG supplies independently, European Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson said on Monday.

"Everybody understands that the most robust solution to get rid of Russian gas is to cover the LNG and natural gas via pipeline with sanctions. But until leaders do not have unanimity on that, the energy ministers at this counter-format already last year found a solution, and this is now brought to the legislation under the decarbonized gas and hydrogen package," Simson told reporters after the EU energy ministerial meeting in Brussels.

Simson reiterated that the European Union saw no need for extending the deal on Russian gas transit through Ukraine, which expires this year. European countries receive some 14 billion cubic meters of gas per year via the Ukrainian route.

Reducing energy dependence on Russia became one of the EU's top priorities after the start of Moscow's special operation in Ukraine in February 2022, when the bloc decided to phase out its imports of Russian fuels. The decision led to a sharp rise in gas prices in the bloc. To curb the price hike, the European Commission presented several measures, including joint purchasing, price caps and increased energy conservation efforts.